Roleplay Archives/All American Summer
* Purdyburdy It was the last day of schooling at Ilvermorny, and the aura of the institution had made a noticeable shift. Instead of focusing on preparing for exams or finishing homework, the students spent their classes playing games or chatting about making summer plans, discussing summer lovers, the usual. The professors honestly couldn't care less, they wanted to be done with the year as much as the students did. Miranda strolled into the dining hall, her usual herd of friends following behind. She immediately made her way to Washington's table- the two had become close, closer than most of the girls in Miranda's friend group. "Oh Waaa-sh!" She called out, tapping him on the shoulder. "I had something to ask you." 02:35, August 19, 2016 * ReadingMinds Washington whirled around as his name was called, immediately perking up at the sound of Miranda's voice. He smiled as shyly as he did on the first day that they met, responding, "What is it, Miranda? You know you can feel free to ask me anything, anything at all." Edited by ReadingMinds 03:14, August 20, 2016 * Purdyburdy "I was just thinking," Miranda replied, drawing out the "i" sound, "You said you weren't doin' anything this summer, would you like to come to my place? We'd be happy to have you, my house has a spare bedroom for you (several spare bedrooms, actually) and my parents are dying to meet you," She offered, giving a sweet smile. 03:20, August 20, 2016 * ReadingMinds "Oh, of course, of course! Let me just send an owl to my mom, you know how they get, always so worrisome.." Washington's voice trailed off into incomprehensible muttering as he grabbed a paper and pencil from his bag, scribbling down a small message. He suddenly stuck his two fingers into the sides of his mouth and blew as forcefully as he could, resulting in an extremely loud whistle. Heads turned towards him as Washington's great horned owl appeared beside him in moments. He quickly attached the message to the owl and sent him off, then turned back to Tally. "So, when do we leave? It'll take me approximately a half hour to finish packing everything I need (since I started this morning), so I hope you didn't tell me on an extremely short notice." 03:27, August 20, 2016 * Purdyburdy "I believe student pick-up is just before dinner, so you'll have until then, which has got to have at least an hour of free time," Miranda responded, her tone upbeat. "We usually have a big dinner the first night of summer, I think you'll like it!" She added, noticeably excited. "I think you'll be sleeping in the guest bedroom on the second floor, so I'll be right down the hall!" The girl said as her mind- for some reason unknown to her- flipped through mentions of summer romances and crushes. Gah, why do you have to be such a weirdo? Wash is just a friend, nothing more- dear god, why are you already naming our children? And no, Harper is not a boy's name- But that's besides the point, cut it out! ''She internally scolded her mind. 03:39, August 20, 2016 * ReadingMinds "Sounds like it! Would you want me to help you pack, if you hadn't already done so?" Washington's smile widened considerably, although his mind went into lock down mode as he comprehended the fact; Miranda. Would. Be. Right. Down. The. Hall. His expression changed for a split second, but he forced his smile to stretch out across his face to cover up the fact. ''Don'tpanicdon'tpanicdon'tpanicdon'tpanic, youcan'tscrewthisup, WashingtonLeonardoPuckettdoNOTMESSTHISUP, THISISYOURCHANCE, BUTWE'REJUSTFRIENDS, IT'SOBVIOUSYOULIKEEACHOTHERBUTSOMEONEHASTOMAKETHEFIRSTMOVE, BUTHOW, THINKYOUDOOFUSTHAT'SWHATYOUALWAYSDO, WHENDOIHAVETOHOWDOIHAVETOWHEREDOIHAVETOWHAT, ISAIDTHINKANDYOUDON'THAVETODOITNOW! ALSOCALMDOWNYOU'REGONNASCARETHEGIRL! Washington snapped himself out of his panicked thoughts and realized that he was, in fact, acting like a completely unhinged person. He was an unnatural pale color, a sheen of sweat dripping down his face. His body was shaking yet he felt frozen in his seat. Washington tried for another casual smile and failed horribly, but after a moment he heaved himself unsteadily onto his feet. //omg I don't know whether I should be feeling bad for doing this but I know I absolutely l o v e it, my lil dorky nerd who doesn't know how to deal with girls Edited by ReadingMinds 13:00, August 20, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Oh, sure, thanks! I'm almost done packing, just need to finish getting all my clothes together," Miranda said gratefully. "Anyhow, shall we head off to my dorm?" She asked, gesturing towards the Great Hall's exit. 15:54, August 20, 2016 * ReadingMinds "Uh, sure! Lead the way," Washington replied politely, his face slowly growing flushed again. He grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder, signaling for Miranda to go ahead. 16:12, August 20, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Alrighty!" Miranda exclaimed as she took hold of Washington's wrist, leading him out of the hall and towards the Thunderbird dorms. Upon entering the common room, (the requirement of entry was to tap a wooden Thunderbird carving three times in a certain pattern) Miranda was immediately greeted with a chorus of "Hey, Miranda!" "I'm gonna miss you, Mir!" "Keep in touch!" "Is that your new boyfriend, Mir?"- Her face flushed at the last remark, thank god Wash couldn't see her. "Anyhow," She said, pulling the boy along, "My dorm's the last door on the left," She remarked, awkwardly trying to change the subject. As they passed multiple girls in the hall carrying laundry and curling their hair, Miranda finally reached her dorm. The door had a plaque with a sparkly Thunderbird carving that read "Queen Thunderbird Spring '16- Miranda Burnhardt"- The title fit her, with her mass of friends and symphony of greetings. She pulled the door open, and inside was her neatly organized room. Most of the decorations had been pulled down, except for loads of hanging plants and cacti gardens suspended on the walls, right beside three other Queen Thunderbird plaques. "Alright, most of my stuff is in my suitcase, (Or suitcase-s, there were three) but I have two drawers left. How about I take the drawer on the left and you take the right?" She suggested, walking towards the dresser on the left. She desperately hoped that she assigned him the right drawer- One contained her sweaters, the other contained her undergarments and swimsuits. Fun fact- She's awful at remembering details like this. 21:10, August 20, 2016 * ReadingMinds Washington nodded, immediately striding over to the right drawer and opening it. The color drained from his face for the second time that night as he looked down at the contents of the drawer. He squeaked something incoherently and stepped back from the drawer, suddenly feeling like he had invaded Miranda's personal privacy. Multiple.. dirty thoughts revolved around his mind as his eyes started to move between Miranda and the drawer. They strayed down her body and figure as they reached her again, yet Washington's remaining decency yanked them away. He bit the inside of his cheek until it started bleeding, then suddenly sputtered out in an unnaturally squeaky voice, "That, I.. un-undergarments.. wrong, wrong drawers.. s-sor-sor-sorry..." Feeling utterly overwhelmed by his thoughts on Miranda, and her face, and her body, and her undergarments, and her house, and how she'd only be down the hall, and love, and crushes.. well, he did the only thing that his mind could come up with doing at that single moment: Passing out. Edited by ReadingMinds 12:51, August 21, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Jesus chri- JESUS CHRIST" Miranda exclaimed as she whipped around to see the mess of everything that happened, including a quite unconscious Washington. "Aaaand of course I gave him the wrong drawer," She remarked, pulling open her drawer to reveal her sweaters. "Yep, yep, that's me, your graceful and intelligent Thunderbird Queen years '13, '14, '15, and '16," The girl said exasperatedly as she filled a cup with water in the bathroom next door. "Dear lord I hope this works, heaven knows how awkward this would be if I had to bring him to the infirmary," She pleaded to herself as she kneeled over the boy and poured the water over his face, tapping his glasses a few times for good measure. 15:18, August 21, 2016 * ReadingMinds Washington gasped, sitting upright in just a few moments while coughing and sputtering, reaching up and wiping water off of his face. He momentarily panicked, forgetting where he was, until he saw Miranda hovering over him. Washington opened his mouth to try and say something--maybe to apologize, or thank her, or compliment her, or something else--and instead ended up moaning, the sudden arrival pain in the back of his head peaking when his mouth opened. His hand immediately shot up to the back of his head protectively, where his fingertips brushed lightly against a giant knot that was forming. Washington quite abruptly started to cry out of pain and embarrassment and frustration and a whole lot of other nasty feelings. In other words, he was just a complete mess. 15:50, August 21, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Shh no it's ok, you're good, we're good, ok? Don't worry about it," Miranda murmured, pulling him in for a tight hug. "Sorry about the water, I decided slapping you wouldn't exactly be the best way to wake you up, people often tell me I don't know my own strength," She apologized, laughing slightly. "Anyhow, want me to get you an advil? Or a band-aid? Or like, anything else?" She asked, standing up and pointing towards her bathroom door. 15:55, August 21, 2016 * ReadingMinds "I-I, uh.." Washington looked up at Miranda, tears still falling down his face, his bottom lip sticking out like a child's. "A-A-Adv-vil? S-Som-Someth-thing t-t-to ge-get r-ri-rid of p-p-pa-pain?" A small part of him had a strong desire for Miranda to hug him again, but the situation at hand overruled it.. for now. 16:06, August 21, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Alrighty, lemme just go grab that for you," Miranda replied, walking off to the bathroom (while quickly stuffing the rest of her clothes into her suitcase), cup in hand, to grab the pills. She came back moments later, holding a refilled cup (not for dumping this time!) and the small plastic container. Quickly shaking two into her hand, she gave the glass to Washington and dropped the pills into his palm. "I also, er, wanted to apologize for this mess, I thought I was assigning you my sweater drawer, but I also have a crappy memory and little to no sense of direction." 16:16, August 21, 2016 * ReadingMinds The "traumatized" teen nodded, quickly swallowing the pills and wiping the tears out of his eyes. He managed a small smile, looking back up at Miranda and stuttering, "I-It's fine. We a-all have fl-fl-flaws. I h-have to say, though.. you h-have good ta-taste. Fr-Frills and l-lace and such look n-nice on you. Er, well, I can im-imagine that they do.." 16:27, August 21, 2016 * Purdyburdy "T-Thanks," Miranda sputtered, desperately trying to hold in a laugh. After about three miliseconds, her plan collapsed, and she burst out laughing- Not an evil or taunting laugh that you'd expect from a popular girl, but a sweet one, where the situation is funny, and not someone's mistakes. "Anyhow," She said, still giggling like a kindergartener, "I think it's about time to head out, we've been here for quite a while, the final dinner starts in twenty minutes," She said, pulling the boy up- with one arm- with ease. 16:32, August 21, 2016 * ReadingMinds He staggered, his arm shooting out to steady himself. Washington looked at Miranda, his mouth agape for a few moments in shock, before he just closed it and shook his head slightly. "Um, feel fr-free to l-lead the way?" He, once again, reached up and wiped salty tears off his face, trying to make himself look casual and decent before he walked out the door. 17:11, August 21, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Alrighty," Miranda replied, leading Washington out the door, pulling her multiple bags and suitcases out as well- She was allowed to keep the plants in her room (she had charmed a watering can to water them regularly), since that was her permanent dorm- The Thunderbird girls resident assistant let them all keep their dorms, and the last years' dorms were given to the first years. The pair quickly left the hallway- Thank goodness most people were back in their dorms- and then exited the common room, making their way towards the Great Hall, where students were beginning to file in and take their seats. This time, the seats were separated by house, not the usual free-for-all it usually was. The setup was typical for end-of-year dinners, everyone sat with their house, the headmaster or headmistress would give a speech, then everyone would eat- though most students called it dinner, the meal was only at around three to four o'clock, and the food served was typically an array of different salads and appetizers, as the majority of families would eat dinner together once they took their children home. "I'll see you later, bring your stuff and meet me by the Thunderbird common room, alright? See you then," Miranda said, giving Washington a quick hug before dashing off to her designated table, where she sat next to this year's King Thunderbird- in complete honesty, she hated his guts. "So, who's the nerd you're gettin' comfy with, sweetie?" The boy asked in his usual arrogant tone. "Shut up, Aidan, and I told you not to call me that," She snapped at him in a half-whisper before turning to face the front of the room, where the headmaster- A close friend of Isolt's great-grandson, was ready to give his speech, thank the heavens he was known for giving short ones. "Students of 2016, as the year draws to a close, I hope you all take time over the summer to really think about yourselves. You are all in a period of self discovery and change, use this break to determine what you really want in life, and if it's standing right in front of you, take the chance and go for it. I am excited to see everyone who is returning next year for another exciting semester, and without further ado, have a great summer." Almost immediately after the last word of the speech, the students erupted into a sea of cheers. When the noise died down, the food was brought out- Some students ate, while others passed yearbooks around to have their friends sign. The pile of books in front of Miranda's seat was unimaginable, while her book was being passed around and being enchanted so extra pages would form to create more room. After what seemed like the millionth yearbook, and the millionth copy-and-paste signature of "Miranda Burnhardt- Have a great summer! <3," Her hand was exhausted. The girl stood up and marched over to the Horned Serpent table, immediately saying, "Hey Wash, sign my yearbook?" As she held out the book. Edited by Purdyburdy 20:54, August 22, 2016 * ReadingMinds Washington nodded to no one as Miranda sped off, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly. After a few moments he pivoted and stumbled over to the Horned Serpent table, where he was greeted with questions on his appearance and Miranda and who he would dance with after the feast. He sat down besides the obnoxious Abigail (twin sister to Aidan of Thunderbird and an absolute showoff, also Queen Horned Serpent), not responding when she asked him whether he let another shadow scare him. It wasn't too strange for Washington to be the center of attention--he was King Horned Serpent, after all--but that didn't mean he enjoyed it too much. Nonetheless, he was bombarded with stares as he put off the questions with vague answers; very unlike him, but did he have a choice? Who was he to subject Miranda and himself to embarrassment over the Drawer Incident? He finally decided to ignore his peers and focused on the speech, which he was disappointed on how short it was. It would've distracted him for a bit. He still eagerly dived into the feast, finishing it in a few minutes. After that was the yearbooks, which was quite the pain. Seeing as Washington was the King Horned Serpent and rumored to be the most advanced kid of the school, even the nerds of the day begged for a signature. His signature (Stay smart, you never know when you need a brain! Washington Leonardo Puckett) soon popped up in multiple yearbooks, including those from other tables. His own yearbook was being passed around the table, being signed by his few friends and whatever "fans" he had. Washington's hand felt like it was going to fall off when Miranda approached with her yearbook, asking for the all-important signature, yet he really didn't mind. He responded cheerfully, "Of course, just give me a moment to write it out!" Taking the yearbook from her, Washington signed Miranda's yearbook with a special message, which went like this: Hey, Miranda! Sorry if this is shorter than expected, my hand is killing me after the signing; I'm sure you can understand. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you to stay sharp and keep those quick reflexes, might need them again soon! Also, be sure to keep the garden healthy, I might want to plant something there sometime! So, anyway, besides for all the exclamation points.. Maybe you'd wanna dance with me during the Royalty Dance after the feast? Please reply as soon as you can. ~ Your plant nerd, Wash the Blacked-Out Bucket He handed Miranda her yearbook after writing it out, overhearing some curious whispers on why her signing took so much longer than others. Washington's cheeks lit up like dynamite, yet he raised his hands and suddenly announced to the line that had formed beside him, "Hey, I'm sorry guys, but my hand is pretty much dead at this point and I'm not becoming ambidextrous in a few moments! If you still want a signature, send up your yearbook to my room after the feast and I'll sign it when I can! Be sure to leave your name somewhere on your yearbook, so I can get it back to you! Again, sorry, but you gotta remember that I'm a human too!" Turning back to Miranda, Washington smiled shyly, embarrassed at how much attention he was getting. 21:38, August 22, 2016 * Purdyburdy Miranda's eyes scanned over the message, her gaze stopping dead in its tracks as she came across the question. Her pale cheeks turning a rosy pink, she knew what to do. "Thanks! Mind if I sign yours?" She asked, gesturing towards his book. 21:46, August 22, 2016 * ReadingMinds "Oh, not at all, just need to, uh, find it, heh," Washington stuck two fingers in his mouth and repeated his loud whistle from earlier, calling to the kid with his yearbook, "Hey, the kid with Washington Puckett's yearbook! Please finish your message up and hand that to me, I have a close friend who needs to sign it! Thanks!" After a few moments of scribbling, the kid wandered up to Washington and stared at him in awe as he handed him the yearbook. In response, Washington smiled shyly at the boy and whispered, "Hey, thanks for getting me back the yearbook, buddy. You know how it is with girls and waiting"--He pointed back at Miranda slyly--"so being really quick was a great help. Maybe we could talk more sometime! Anyway, see ya." He sent the kid on his way in a few moments, the kid looking utterly shocked at being talked to by him. Feeling even more embarrassed over this, Washington turned back to Miranda and handed over his yearbook without a word. 21:52, August 22, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Thanks," Miranda said, in a tone much more shy than usual. She was absolutely terrified, but if Miss Teen Witch Massachusetts could not do so much as to accept a boy's invitation to dance, then who could? She gently took Washington's yearbook and flipped to an empty page, then carefully wrote out her message- To Wash- '' ''I hope you have a great summer! Well of course you will, it'll be with me :P All joking aside, I do value you loads and look forward to spending more time with you. You're the smartest person I know, let's keep it that way- Miranda Burnhardt, your personal nurse <3 <3 '' ''P.S. Yes I would like to dance. After finishing the signing, swooping letters and all, she handed the book back to Washington, her face a rosy mess. "Anyhow thanks seeyouinafewminutesatthedanceokbye!" She sputtered as she dashed back to her table while the other students waited for the final dance between the Kings and Queens of each house. 22:01, August 22, 2016 * ReadingMinds It took Washington a moment to discern what Miranda had said, but afterwards he absolutely radiated with pride and joy. He read over the message in his yearbook to make sure this was actually happening (he even pinched himself a couple of times). Absolutely ecstatic for the Royalty Dance now (which he usually dreaded), he fidgeted restlessly and paid ill attention to anything else besides for the time. It was quite odd for him but for once he didn't care whatsoever. Washington's friends noticed his unusual behavior, and each thought back on his conversation with this "Miranda" girl from Thunderbird. After that, it wasn't hard to put two and two together, and this new rumor spread across the table like wildfire, which made it spread to the next table, and the next, and the next, until plenty of people were clammering on about the Royalty Dance and the new definite ship that would come from it. I'm sure you can realize who the new ship is.. yes, that's right, it's Washington and Miranda! 22:18, August 22, 2016 * Purdyburdy Miranda sat at her table, in a haze of pure... Whatever. The feeling was impossible to describe, the closest one could come to articulating it was saying that it felt like rolling in a cloud. She sat with her chin resting on her palms, wearing a smile similar to a kindergartener's. Practically nothing could snap her out of her dreamlike state- Nothing except the announcement of the dance. "Would the Kings and Queens of each house please come up for the final dance," The headmaster requested, causing the eight teenagers to make their way towards a raised platform at the front of the hall. Though she had done this many times before, and the process was simple- You just found a partner, and do the dance that you've been taught by your Resident Assistant- But for some reason, the task gave the girl a bout of nervousness and excitement that she'd never experienced before. After brushing off Aidan, the Wampus King, and the Pukwudgie King's requests to dance, ("I already have a partner, terribly sorry!" "Oh dear, I'm afraid I already have a partner, sorry!" and "Screw off, Aidan") she found Washington. "You ready?" She asked, a small and graceful smile forming on her lips as she stared her partner in the eyes. Edited by Purdyburdy 02:16, August 23, 2016 * ReadingMinds Washington bounced up and strode to the platform, glancing around for Miranda. He felt eyes boring into him as he politely declined the Queen Wampus' offer to dance and kept as far away from Abigail as possible. A quite stupidly (or it seemed stupid at the time) flustered and timid smile appeared on his face as he found Miranda. He responded quietly, reaching out a hand to her, "Only if you are." 02:12, August 23, 2016 * Purdyburdy "I think I'm ready," Miranda replied softly, taking the boy's hand. The same waltz that was used in every royalty dance began to play, and the King Pukwudgie rushed to take the hand of the Queen Wampus- Neither looked incredibly excited to be dancing with the other. "Here goes nothing," She whispered to herself as the other pairs began to dance, signalling for them to start. 02:20, August 23, 2016 * ReadingMinds Washington nodded, waiting a moment before he moved his feet along the familiar pattern that took him months to learn. His form was pretty much perfect, and normally he was only proud and kind of surprised at the fact, but now all of his thoughts were on Miranda. He squeezed down on her hand unnecessarily as he placed his other hand around her body, although who would blame the boy in such a situation? 02:27, August 23, 2016 * Purdyburdy For such an emotionally eventful situation, Miranda was... Actually pretty calm. She tried to focus on the dance, though the occasional thought of Danghereallylookscuteinthoseglasses ''passed through her head about once every time she looked up at her partner's face. With each twirl and spin, her heart beat a little faster. After the waltz came the wild card, as the students called it. The staff all got together and picked a dance, and the students could dance in any way they wanted, as long as it was, er, appropriate. Almost all the other students found partners and danced as well, using the teens up front as an example. "Well shake it up baby, now!" It was Twist and Shout, prompting Miranda's smile to morph into a dorky grin- Her grandmother used to dance with her to this song when she was little, and the lyrics were engraved in her heart. "All you've got to do is spin me a lot, alright?" She said, her gaze sweeping over the rest of the hall, where the students were twirling and dipping and shaking like their lives depended on it. 02:39, August 23, 2016 * ReadingMinds "Oh, uh, alrighty then," Washington went along with whatever Miranda wanted, dipping her and swaying and whirling around like he was an expert. He stumbled occasionally when he looked at Miranda for too long, his mind a jumble of curious thoughts and questions and wonderings for what would happen after the dance.. or maybe even during it. 02:44, August 23, 2016 * Purdyburdy "You're doing great," Miranda said after a particularly perfect spin. "One more thing," She added as he dipped her. Her "one more thing" came before his response, and the "thing" was wrapping her arms around Washington's neck and pulling herself up quickly, her lips locking with his. "Don't pass out, ok? That'd be pretty awkward," She murmured, grinning as they broke apart with the end of the song. Luckily, most of the students were either too busy dancing to see the kiss, too bored to care, or too ready to leave to confront her about it- Though she did get one or two girls from her house running up to her to ask- quite loudly- what the hell she was doing. Her response was a shrug and a grin as she led Washington off the stage. 02:51, August 23, 2016 * ReadingMinds Washington's world exploded with the.. the "Kiss". Nothing could really.. explain how he felt in any terms. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. As Miranda lead him off stage he could only think about one thing: He had to get more of those. Unfortunately, his mind was in no state to actually come up with a way he could get more, so he unknowingly left the matter in Miranda's hands as he mentally traced the shape of her lips as they walked. 02:57, August 23, 2016 * Purdyburdy "You know the drill, just run and grab your stuff and meet me by the Thunderbird common room entrance, alright?" Miranda reminded him as she pivoted and walked towards her dorm. Almost as soon as she entered the common room, the girl was swarmed by girls looking to get their last goodbye hugs. After giving everyone a quick embrace and a "I'm gonna miss you, see you next year!" She sat down on the floor just outside the entrance and waited for Washington to arrive with his thinngs- Just enough time to fully comprehend what she had done at the dance. ''Oh my god, how could you be so stupid? She scolded herself, You don't even know if he likes you or not, and you decide to test the waters by kissing him? Way to ruin your summer, idiot, Her brain added as she sat in silence, staring down the hallway. Edited by Purdyburdy 05:05, August 24, 2016 * ReadingMinds Washington fought the desperate desire to call Miranda back; he would be with her for the entire summer, a few moments wouldn't hurt him too much. He raced on to the common room, bombarded with "See you next year!" and "Bye Washington!" or "Bye King of the Nerds!" He waved to everyone as he passed, finally managing to slip into his room. Washington haphazardly tossed the rest of his stuff into his bag, too eager for summer to care about its organization. He took a few more moments to give his closer friends meaningful goodbyes, before rushing on to the Thunderbird common room entrance. It took him only a second or so to find Miranda sitting down just outside it. Washington smiled lopsidedly at her, stopping to the side of her and saying, "Alrighty, I'm here. Feel free to lead the way, I can help with your luggage if needed. So, uh, yeah. Just to, uh, let you know.. that, uh, mouth to mouth was, uh, nice, uh, I guess, I don't know, uh, anyway.." Edited by ReadingMinds 20:23, August 24, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Oh my god, you're such a dork," Miranda said through a grin as she stood up, her sight on the two adults approaching them. "Aaand there are my parents," She stated as she dropped her bags and ran to give her parents a hug. "Hi Mama, hi Dad!" She greeted them cheerfully, giving them each a hug. "This is Washington," The girl said, pivoting and gesturing to the tall boy standing by her bags- Her mother and father both gave a friendly smile. 20:46, August 24, 2016 * ReadingMinds Washington waved at Miranda's parents with a hand, taking a moment to pick up Miranda's dropped bags with it before saying politely, "Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Burnhardt. Your daughter is absolutely wonderful, a charm to be around." He smiled shyly at that, his gaze flicking over to Miranda before he looked back at her parents. 21:00, August 24, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Pleasure to meet you, Washington, our daughter speaks very highly of you," Miranda's father said kindly. "Anyhow, shall we set off?" Her mother suggested, prompting the group to navigate the halls and leave the institution. Outside the building, near a few thin trees, sat a baby blue limousine, with the words "BURNHARDT GROUP" emblazoned on the side- Miranda's father was the head attorney at a magical law firm, dealing with all kinds of cases. His firm was world renowned, and his success showed in his family's lifestyle, for sure. The driver stepped out and made his way to the group, gently taking the bags and putting them in the truck. "To the estate, sir?" He asked, opening the door to reveal an elegant interior. "Yes please, Johnathan," Miranda's father replied as they stepped into the back seat, the door shutting behind them. "Y'see, this limo's enchanted," Miranda started as the driver sat down in the front seat and started the ignition. "It goes much faster than an average car, we'll be back at the house in minutes. Usually I have to sit in another car that makes average time with my brothers in the back seat with me, thank the heavens they're both at a friend's house," She finished, the car pulling out of the school's property and whizzing down a path on the side of the mountain that the property sat atop. In under half an hour they arrived at the estate, which could only be described as a beach mansion on steroids, crossbreed with a Greek sculpture wonderland. Intricate marble figures dotted the front yard, leading up to the massive house. "Alright, we're here!" Miranda exclaimed as the door swung open. 21:21, August 24, 2016 * ReadingMinds Washington stopped at the entrance, his jaw dropping at the estate. "This is.. beautiful. No, that's an understatement, it's.. I can't even begin to describe it." Shaking his head, he closed his mouth and followed Miranda and her family to wherever they were going, admiring the entirety of their wealth. 21:33, August 24, 2016 * Purdyburdy Miranda's mother opened the door, and the inside of the structure made the exterior look like child's play. A giant chandelier hung from the ceiling, the pale glow reflecting off of marble pillars and statues. "Our rooms are this way," Miranda said, leading Washington up a grand staircase, white with gold accents. "Emilee and Amy will drop our bags off, they're our maids," She said, throwing open the door to the first room in the hallway, revealing a quite nicely decorated guest room. The impeccable design of the house was carried to each and every room. "This is your room, mine is right over there," The teen said, pointing to a white door with a golden Thunderbird decoration on the front. "We can unpack later, but dinner is gonna start soon, wanna head down?" She asked. 21:46, August 24, 2016 * ReadingMinds "Oh, uh, sure," Washington replied. "This is really all of yours? Or, well, your family's? My place is awfully rotten compared to it." He scanned the hallway as they walked, trying to memorize each and every detail. 21:59, August 24, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Yeah, this is the Burnhardt estate," Miranda said, joyful pride seeping into her voice as they walked back down the staircase. "My dad's the head of the Burnhardt Group, if ya couldn't tell by the limo," She added as they reached the bottom and turned right, entering a grand dining room with a delicately carved table, a massive meal of salmon and steak on the surface, accompanied by roasted potatoes and plates of fresh bread. "Aaand here we are," She announced, sitting in one of the satin seats. After meeting up with her parents and being asked infinite questions about her year, they all finally began to put food on their plates. "Feel free to have whatever, the food's here for a reason," Miranda told Washington as she filled her plate with salmon and potatoes. 22:09, August 24, 2016 * ReadingMinds let's bring these nerds back !! - Washington nodded, helping himself to everything on the table. He dug in, finding that the food was absolutely delightful and delicious. Despite his, well, eagerness to eat, he managed to keep his manners in order- he wouldn't want to embarrass himself or give Miranda's parents a bad impression. 16:30, September 5, 2016 * Purdyburdy Miranda finished her food right after Washington, then set her fork and knife down. "I think dessert will be finished soon, but we could go outside for a little bit, I can show you the backyard if you'd like," She suggested, gesturing towards the back door. 16:32, September 5, 2016 * ReadingMinds "Oh that'd be wonderful," Washington replied, glancing over at Miranda's parents. He didn't think it'd be the wisest move to start fan-girling over petunias when they were still eat dinner. 16:42, September 5, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Alrighty, this way," Miranda replied, taking Washington's hand and leading him out the back door. "So, how much are you willing to bet that they'll get married?" Miranda's mother whispered as the teens left. "I don't think it'd last that long, Amelia," He replied. "Have a little faith, George." "Aaaand this is the garden, though it's pretty much my garden, since I'm the only one who cares about it," Miranda said as they reached the extravagant outdoor space, filled with peonies and roses, with a little area filled with various cacti. Towards the back was a gazebo, almost covered in pale pink roses. "We can go sit down, if you'd like," She murmured, a few glowing fireflies flying around in the summer air. 16:57, September 5, 2016 * ReadingMinds "This is amazing, all of the various species.." Washington examined the garden as they walked, his grip tightening on her hand. "Maybe we could grow something new this summer, as a sort of project. Of course, only if you'd like, but it might be nice, maybe." He smiled at her, hoping that she might like his idea. 17:06, September 5, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Yeah, that sounds really cool!" Miranda replied, her eyes lighting up at the idea. "I think I can ask my mom to take us to the gardening store tomorrow, my dad has to leave early tomorrow morning for a case in Florida, so he wouldn't be able to go- It's sorta sad, to be honest, I never really get to see him, even though we have all this money and crap, he's always away on cases, but I guess that's just me being deep, hah," She trailed off. 17:11, September 5, 2016 * ReadingMinds "Oh, I'm sorry about that. My home is just a cozy little cottage, and I can't get rid of my parents. My dad is a carpenter who has his workshop in the garage, and my mom is a online teacher. They don't really leave home, and it can be really annoying. Maybe it could be considered lucky that your parents--or parent--aren't hovering over you constantly, you know?" Washington shrugged, biting the inside of his cheek. He internally fretted over whether he might've said something wrong or not- he had read enough books to know that guys were absolutely terrible at saying the right thing to girls. 17:19, September 5, 2016 * Purdyburdy "Yeah, I guess," Miranda murmured, staring at her feet. She could feel herself inching closer to the boy as the knot in her throat formed- She needed a plan, and fairly quickly. An idea emerged in her mind, and without giving any thought to it, she took action. She grabbed Washington's face, pulling his mouth to hers. 23:03, September 5, 2016 * ReadingMinds toTALLY late response woWEE thanks for reminding me - Washington's eyes widened in surprise, his body stiffening with hesitation. After a moment, however, he relaxed, leaning into Miranda and returning the kiss, his arms wrapping around her body and pulling her closer. (I.. feel like I made this sexual aaa) 01:11, October 3, 2016 * Purdyburdy Miranda's eyes fluttered open as the pair's lips slowly broke apart, their blue hue sparkling in the moonlight. She gently planted a kiss on Washington's cheek before standing up, her pale cheeks now tinged with pink. "I think it's about time for bed," She said with a soft smile while stifling a yawn. 04:51, April 23, 2017 * ReadingMinds Washington's eyebrows raised as his mind immediately hopped over to... that sort of bedtime, though he quickly corrected himself when he realized that she just wanted to sleep. "Yeah, we do have an entire summer ahead of us." He reached out hesitantly to take her hand as he started slowly back towards the mansion. 21:46, April 23, 2017 * Purdyburdy Miranda took Washington's hand without hesitation, smiling to herself as the pair went back into the massive structure. "Your hands are soft," She murmured, just loud enough for him to hear. Her parents had already gone to bed, and the lack of noise was actually quite enjoyable- her brothers were staying at a friend's house for most of the summer, thank god. When they reached the hallway with their two rooms, she gently pulled her hand away for the purpose of opening her door. "I was thinking we could go swimming tomorrow, if you'd like," She half said, half asked with one foot in her bedroom. Before she could fully enter, she stopped herself and turned back to face the boy still lingering in the hallway. "One more thing," She began, feeling her cheeks warm up. In one fluid motion, she leaned towards him and locked her lips with his. When they broke apart, she spoke once more. "Have a nice night!" She breathily told him then scurried back into her room. Edited by Purdyburdy 01:31, May 16, 2017 * ReadingMinds "You too..." Washington stood there staring at her closed door for a few moments, blushing severely even though they were kissing minutes earlier. He reached up and shakily grabbed his chest, breathless as he murmured, "She's beautiful." He slowly backed away from the door, eyes locked onto it before he mentally shook himself. He'd see her tomorrow, and the next day, and the next- through the entire summer. He could manage a night away from her. Still letting his eyes linger a moment on the door, thinking about how wonderful Miranda was, he went to his room, changed into pajamas, and plopped down on his bed. Huddling under his covers, he laid there for who-knows-how-long, pondering the most eccentric (and maybe not as eccentric) things, before finally dropping asleep. 03:10, May 16, 2017 * Purdyburdy Miranda woke up, the fleeting memory of a bad dream fading quickly. She looked out her window, only to see that it was still dark out, and the clock on the wall told her that it was precisely two in the morning. Not wanting to fall back asleep alone, she threw the covers off her now-shivering frame and made her way to her bedroom door. After slowly exiting her room, she tiptoed across the hallway and stopped at Washington's door, then gently knocked twice. 22:15, May 31, 2017 * ReadingMinds Washington's eyes snapped open at the knocking. He had never been a heavy sleeper, and the smallest of noises or light always immediately woke him up. It was still dark out and he knew without having to check that it was far from morning, but he was sure he heard knocking and had to at least check to see if anyone was there. After a moment of blinking slowly, he got up and shuffled over to the door, reaching out to grab the doorknob. Turning it, he suddenly thought that maybe it would've been a good idea to see who had knocked beforehand, since he was wearing his way too small pair of pajamas that night, which were pretty short and showed part of his stomach and calves (he liked the green colors way too much to just not use them and figured it wouldn't matter if he was hiding under covers), but there was no going back now. His expression became confused when he saw Miranda standing in front of him, then his face reddened as he realized just how revealing his pajamas might seem. "Hey, uh, hey.. what-what're you, uh, doing up so early?" 22:32, May 31, 2017 * Purdyburdy "Bad dream.." Miranda trailed off in response, looking down at her feet. "I, uh, can't really remember any of the details, but it's basically impossible for me to fall back asleep," She clarified. After making eye contact with Washington, (and deciding not to mention the pajamas) she gave her best puppy-dog eyes, which were quite impressive then batted her eyelashes a few times. "I was wondering, could I maybe sleep with you the rest of the night?" She asked, very well knowing how odd her request was. 22:45, May 31, 2017 * ReadingMinds "Oh- oh, sure," Washington's face grew even redder, if that was possible. He stepped back to let her in, his curious mind taking a moment to ponder what her nightmare must've been about to make her want to come sleep with him, before he forced himself to stop thinking about it. Her nightmares, her business, he chided to himself, closing the door behind her and following her to the bed. "Do-do you just.. want to try and, uh, go to sleep or-or do you, uh, want to talk or...?" 22:55, May 31, 2017 * Purdyburdy Miranda shrugged, not really able to come up with anything to talk about. On any other day she'd practically talk Washington's ear off, but all she really wanted was to just lay there with him and enjoy his presence. "Sorry I woke you up," She mumbled apologetically once he got in bed, realizing that her late night (or early morning?) wake-ups weren't exactly convenient for people who actually needed sleep. 00:00, June 1, 2017 * ReadingMinds "You're, uh, fine," Washington shrugged, biting his lip before adding, "I'm a light sleeper anyway so, uh, I mean I don't exactly sleep a consistent ten hours every, uh, night anyway. I mean, uh, I'm usually on and off through-throughout the night." Part of him was wanting him to give in to his urge of anxiously cracking his knuckles and practically curling into a ball (God, why did Miranda have to always make him so... nervous and fluttery?), but he resisted, not wanting to seem like he was closing himself off from her. 00:34, June 1, 2017 * Purdyburdy Miranda replied with a small smile, her eyes shutting for a few moments before fluttering back open- She felt so at home next to Washington, falling back asleep was hardly an issue. How is he so goddamn adorable? She thought to herself as he fumbled with his words. She inched closer until the two were practically touching, then her tired mind took over and her internal thoughts spilled out of her mouth. "You're so cute," She murmured, half asleep. 00:43, June 1, 2017 * ReadingMinds "Oh- oh, I, uh, I-" Washington hands started fidgeting with each other as his embarrassment and giddiness reached a peak, and, not knowing what else to do with them but not wanting to give in to the habit, reached over and wrapped his arm around Miranda. "I- er- I mean-" He was literally emanating nervousness at this point, even though he had the sudden urge to cuddle up around Miranda and wrap both of his arms around her. God, this was so confusing. 00:54, June 1, 2017 * Purdyburdy Even in her state of half-consciousness, Miranda could still tell Washington was nervous- just one look at him was enough to tell. She gently ran a hand through his curly hair, letting it drape over his side afterwards. "It's true," She added, giggling sleepily. As she grew less and less alert, she found that saying exactly what was on her mind was much ''easier. "You're such a good boyfriend, I love you," She murmured before fully drifting off to sleep. 01:02, June 1, 2017 * ReadingMinds Washington nearly froze at Miranda's touch, though loosened up in a few moments- which repeated itself a couple of times when he processed her words. He turned to say something, or at least attempt to say something, but only managed an "I- oh..." when he realized she had fallen asleep. After a few moments, he uncharacteristically screwed it, and let himself lean into her as his brain went over the words "I love you" over and over and over again. He felt like he was short-circuiting from something so simple, but after a time he grew more and more exhausted. At that point his wants overpowered his hazy logic, and he turned over onto his side, wrapping his other arm around her and scooching down a bit so he could bury his face in her shoulder. Within a few moments he was fast asleep, unaware of the small, sheepish smile on his face. Edited by ReadingMinds 01:21, June 1, 2017 * Purdyburdy Miranda's eyes opened, though this time she was waking up at a reasonable hour. Her gaze shifted downwards and she saw Washington's head on her shoulder, all the memories from last night coming back to her. She couldn't help but wonder what he thought of her near-asleep love declaration, but she decided to put her worries to rest for the moment and brought her hand up to his ash brown curls- stroking his hair would become a favorite pastime of hers. 01:47, June 1, 2017 * ReadingMinds Washington woke up to the feeling of Miranda's fingers running through his hair, and let out a soft sigh of satisfaction. That... felt really nice. His eyes fluttered open as he leaned back for a second to glance up at her. After a few long moments, he closed them again. Staying up really late because of thinking and losing those few minutes of sleep with her had taken its toll (not that he regretted it), and despite the fact that it was easy to wake him up and he didn't normally get much sleep anyway, he still felt sleepy and his mind was fuzzy. Shoving his face back into her, he let out a quiet "nng" and let go of her with one arm, pushing his freed hand under his cheek. Edited by ReadingMinds 02:10, June 1, 2017 * Purdyburdy Miranda let out a soft giggle at Washington's half-groan-half-purr, then pushed a lock of her dark brown hair out of her eyes in order to fully see clearly. Once she looked down at him, she immediately let a warm smile spread across her face. After pausing her hair-petting briefly to plant a soft kiss on the boy's forehead, she let her hand rest on the back of his neck, gently tracing meaningless shaped on his skin. "Good morning," She whispered lovingly, wishing that the moment would last forever. 02:28, June 1, 2017 * ReadingMinds "Mornin'," Washington murmured, blinking open his eyes again and sliding up so he was at the same level with Miranda. Leaning forward lazily, he nosed her cheek, planting gentle kisses along it, slowly making his way up to her eyebrow, then forehead. "Mmm... you-you smell nice..." He reached up and started massaging her shoulders tenderly, head turning slightly so he could press his forehead into hers. 02:42, June 1, 2017 * Purdyburdy "Thanks," Miranda replied with a quiet chuckle, her features illuminated by the sunlight pouring in through the window. Applying copious amounts of vanilla lotion the previous day had clearly paid off. ''Nice, she mentally applauded herself for a job well done. She lifted her head slightly so that her and Washington were eye-to-eye, blinked twice, then leaned forwards and kissed him, cupping his face with her hands. 02:44, June 2, 2017 * ReadingMinds Washington sunk into the kiss, pressing his lips firmly into hers as his eyes momentarily closed. He sat there for a few long moments, one of his hands sliding down to her waist while the other continued massaging her shoulder. God, her lips were so soft. He only leaned back to catch his breath and reopen his eyes, looking deeply at her before kissing her again. Edited by ReadingMinds 03:25, June 2, 2017 * Purdyburdy Miranda smiled as the pair softly broke apart, then leaned in for another kiss, though her lips missed slightly and ended up landing on the corner of Washington's mouth. She giggled to herself as she inched forwards, (though they couldn't exactly get that much closer) then let her head rest on his shoulder. "I love you," She said, repeating her words from the previous night, her mouth only an inch or two away from his ear- in this moment she was convinced heaven was a feeling, not a place. 02:08, June 3, 2017 * ReadingMinds "Love you too," Washington breathed, turning his head and tilting it slightly so he could plant another kiss on Miranda's lips. His mouth travelled down to her jawline, slowly and deliberately pecking up it until he reached her neck(?? this probably isn't how u human but u know what w/e i tried), then moved on down to her collarbone. His movements were unhurried and teasing, letting his lips graze her skin tantalizingly. He wanted this moment to last forever and beyond.